The 13th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will kick off on Thursday in the ancient city of Jeonju in southwestern South Korea on Thursday for a nine-day run.

The annual film festival will feature 184 films from 42 countries through May 4, the event's organizers said. Under the theme of "Change with You! (Sympathize and Change)," films will be screened across downtown Jeonju, located about 240 kilometers south of Seoul. The films to be screened include 137 features and 47 shorts. Eighty-four films will be premieres, including 36 world premieres and 47 Asian premieres.

This year's festival will open with Sister (L'enfant d'en haut) by French-Swiss filmmaker Ursula Meier, which calmly portrays the dragging lives of a brother and sister: Simon, who has learned a dangerous way of life between the poor valley down below and the up high ski resort of the rich, and Louise, who seems to have entered the world of grown-ups at a very young age and wanders through life aimlessly.

Sister, the Meier's second full-length film, won the Special Award-Silver Bear at this year's Berlinale. Along with its strong narrative, outstanding performances by the cast, and the veteran crew, Meier has succeeded in making a great coming-of-age film that will long be remembered, the organizers said.

Organizers said there will be three competition categories: international, Korean feature films and Korean short films.

The international winner will receive $10,000 in prize money plus another $5,000 in film funds. The Korean feature winner will take home 10 million won ($8,785) and the short film winner will get 5 million won.

The festival will also offer a special program for the audience to meet directors, performers and other guests outside of the closed walls of cinema.

Directors from both the international and Korean feature film competitions will greet the fans during "Offscreen 1: Close Encounters with Competition Directors." Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet performers and directors in "Offscreen 2: Stars in the Cinema Street."

"A Simple Life" by Ann Hui of Hong Kong will close the nine-day festival. The film was premiered last year at Venice International Film Festival and received a huge acclaim from critics, according to the organizers. (Yonhap)